


Privateer

by dracox_serdriel



Series: Her Dark Works [16]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Abduction, Alternate Universe, Dark Swan Arc, Dreams, Drugs, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, F/M, Kidnapping, Land Without Magic, M/M, Memories, Prophetic Dreams, Recovery, Reunions, Smut, The Jolly Roger, Unexpected Journeys, Unexpected Visitors, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-17
Updated: 2016-02-23
Packaged: 2018-05-21 07:54:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6043948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dracox_serdriel/pseuds/dracox_serdriel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Killian fights for his life after a mortal gunshot wound. Emma sets a plan in motion to foil Cruella's plot.</p><p><strong>Her Dark Works</strong> takes place in an alternate universe where Emma Swan was born and raised in the Enchanted Forest. One day, things go horribly wrong, and she abandons her birthright and throne to seek revenge on the Dark One. What happens when a woman born to be the Savior of the Realm joins forces with the Vengeful Pirate of Neverland?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part Brass Rags

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma fights her captors in a desperate attempt to return to Killian before it's too late. Killian fights for his life.

Emma's head ached. The sound of roaring engines filled her ears. It took everything she had to open her eyes. 

Her hands were tied in front of her with thin rope. Her pack was next to her on the floor. She was in some kind of open land transport, and it was moving.

She lifted her head to see who was with her. 

The vehicle they were in only large enough for four people. They were following a similar transport, and Dorothy Gale was in the front seat with one of her arms wrapped tight to her side.

"You're awake, good," Dot said.

"Where's Killian?" Emma asked.

"We had to leave him."

"You left him?"

"Didn't have a choice," she replied. "Don't worry. I patched him up a bit. He could survive a few hours."

"You left him to die?"

"I might be persuaded to call a few people in," Dot said. "Give them his coordinates. Have him air-lifted to the hospital. All you'd have to do is tell me how to use this."

Dot tapped on the Magic Compass, which was hanging next to her.

"It doesn't work," Emma said. "Not in this realm. There's not enough magic."

"That's too bad, but probably for the best. You've been out for three hours. He must be dead by now."

Her words were like a blow to the stomach. Everything hit her at once: how stupid their fight had been, how horrible her last words to him were, how she'd never see him again.

"While we're on the subject, I found a bunch of hand-drawn pictures in your bag," Dot continued nonchalantly. "Care to enlighten me on who these people are?"

"Go to hell, you bitch!"

"So, family, then?" Dot asked. "I can tell you - "

Dorothy didn't get to finish her sentence. Emma threw herself forward, wrapping her hands over Dot's head and pulling up, choking her. Their vehicle veered off course as Dot released her grip on the steering wheel, and they crashed through the underbrush, slowing until a tree brought them to a very harsh stop. The pain in Emma's head pitched, but she kept herself on task.

After about a minute, Dot went slack in her arms, unconscious but still breathing.

Emma released her and riffled around until she found her knife tucked under her satchel in the front seat. She cut through her bindings and tossed them aside before grabbing her pack. She reached for her satchel.

BANG!

She fell back behind the front seat, and her satchel smacked her in the chest as it followed her. Emma hastily secured it and her pack as two more shots rang out.

"Dot!" a man shouted. "You okay? Dot!"

As soon as she could aim, she threw her knife. She couldn't tell if she hit him, but he went down hard. She stood and snatched her short sword from the front seat, and she was about to take the Magic Compass when she saw several parchment rolls on the floor.

BANG!

Apparently her assailant had regained his footing. She abandoned the papers and Magic Compass as she fled haphazardly into the woods, flying between the oaks and evergreens.

She found a suitable tree and climbed up to a high, wide branch. Then she waited.

And she waited.

And she waited.

She couldn't tell if it had been minutes or hours, but there was no sign that anyone was searching for her or that her attackers had followed her.

Emma opened her satchel. Someone had obviously gone through it, as it was missing a number of items, including the pictures she made of her family. Those rolls of parchment on the floor had been hers, and she no longer had the means to create new images. Her heart sank.

And in that moment, she felt everything she suppressed while escaping. Did they really leave Killian to die? Dot could've been lying. Her companions could've been transporting him.

The idea gave her relief for a few moments, but she had been paying close attention to Dorothy when she spoke. She hadn't been lying. She patched him up before they left, but he was probably already dead.

She suppressed a sob, letting only a faint whimper escape her as hot tears began to pour down her face. She had been so angry with him, and now she'll never have the chance to speak with him again. She'd never get to tell him the truth.

"Miss Swan?" a muffled voice said. "Is that you?"

It took her a moment to realize that the compact mirror was still in the satchel. She quickly opened it.

"Keep your voice down," she whispered.

"What happened?" Sidney asked. "I heard a ruckus, but by the time I was able to return to either of your mirrors, it was over."

"We were attacked. I was knocked out, and Killian was... he's..." she replied, but she found herself unable to say the words. So instead she said, "Sidney, I don't know where I am. I don't know where we were when we were attacked. I can't find my way back to him."

"I can help with that."

"What?" she asked breathlessly.

"I can sense the mirrors. Their locations. I can guide you to his."

"What about tracking Mulan?"

"Luckily, Robin and Red no longer require my assistance," Sidney replied with a smile. "They are currently in transit back to the coast."

"That's good, really good," Emma said. "How soon can you start guiding me?"

"Immediately," he replied. "But perhaps we should wait until dawn."

"I wish I could, but the people who took me aren't that far off. They might be too injured to follow me now, but come morning, they could have others out looking for me. It's safer to go now."

"Step carefully, Miss Swan, it's going to be a long walk in the dark."

Emma nodded and said, "I have to climb down first. Give me about ten minutes?"

"Very well."

She closed the mirror and sat back against the tree. She knew that she was likely walking to Killian's remains, but if there was any chance that he was still alive, she had to do it. She had to know. And if he was dead, then she had to take his body. He deserved to be buried at sea with his brother, Milah, and his crew. That was the very least she could give him, after all he'd done for her.

The thoughts gave way to a hot and prickly sensation in her throat and a burning sensation in her eyes. She inhaled a ragged breath to try to quell the misery that threatening to pour out of her.

Her lips quivered as she choked back her tears. She couldn't afford to lose it right now. She sealed her lips and comforted herself by rocking back and forth, and by some instinct, her hands went to her stomach.

She caught a glimpse of her shirt and her hands. Both were covered in blood, and she relived the moment when she realized Killian had been shot. She clasped her hand to where his wound had been. What she wouldn't give to have her magic so she could heal his wound. She grinded her teeth to silence herself.

But it wasn't enough.

So Emma stopped fighting it. She unclenched her jaw, and she wailed as she cried. Once they started, she couldn't stop them, and she gave herself over to the grief and panic and pain, no longer caring if her position was revealed by her weeping.

* * *

Killian was in his cabin, his stomach still aching from the gunshot wound. Somehow the worst of it had healed, but the injury still ached and itched like any other he'd survived.

"What are you doing?" Emma asked.

He turned to see her dressed in black leather and a high collar. Her hair was white-blond and her face... something about her expression was wrong.

"I'm resting," he replied. "I hear it's important when recovering from a life-threatening injury."

"You can't be here."

"I live here, Swan," he replied. "So do you, for that matter."

"Listen to me, Killian," she said, suddenly very close to him. "Whatever you do, don't come back."

"You think I'd abandon my ship?" he asked. "What the bloody hell has gotten into you?"

"Listen to me," she repeated. "You can't bring them back here. It's not safe."

"This is the safest bloody place in this realm," he replied. "Swan, what... what's happened to you?"

"Killian, please, don't come back here."

He reached out to touch her, to hold her, but his hand went straight through her, as if she were some kind of ghost. As if the revelation reminded him, he realized that this Emma was the one he dreamed of, the one who gave him the dreamcatcher, the one who told him he shared the Dark One's magic. 

She wasn't his Emma.

"Swan, what's going on?"

But she didn't answer. She disappeared like mist scattered by the winds, and he collapsed on his bunk. How did he get back to his ship after being shot? He couldn't recall.

He closed his eyes, and the pain increased dramatically. He tried to scream, to call out for help, but his throat was raw and dry in a manner he had never known before.

"Bloody hell," he hissed.

"He's awake!"

That voice. He recognized that voice. He forced himself to open his eyes, and sure enough, young Henry was sitting next to him with a large book in his lap.

They were in a small cabin-like room with equipment he didn't recognize. He must've dreamed of being back on the Jolly Roger.

"Are you the pirate?" Henry asked. "My mom's the savior. That means you must be the pirate, right?"

He nodded his head, yes.

"Captain Hook, so good of you to wake up," another person spoke. 

His eyes fell on Regina, the Evil Queen. She seemed none too pleased to see him.

"Tell me, Captain, how ever did you manage to get your hand back?" Regina asked.

"Restored," he said.

"By my mom?" Henry asked.

Killian nodded, grateful that he didn't have to choke out the words.

"How did she get it away from the Dark One?" Regina asked.

"Dead."

"Dead?" Regina repeated. "Who took his place?"

"No one."

"That's impossible."

He wanted to explain everything to them, but it felt like razors infested his throat, cutting off the words before they could leave his mouth. He coughed, and he felt light-headed. He had to tell them about Emma being taken. He had to warn them.

"Your... father," he said to Regina. "Here with us. On my ship."

"My father is alive?"

He nodded. "People... took Emma," he said.

"What people?" Regina demanded.

"Dorothy Gale. John Darling," he said, saying all the names he could remember. "Cruella - "

"Is the patient awake?" Whale interrupted.

"Yeah, he's a pirate!" Henry said. "He says people took my mom!"

"Well, nothing we can do about that," Whale said. "Listen, I need you to take it easy. I've got some ice chips, they'll make your throat feel better. I got the bullet out last night, but you lost a lot of blood. Didn't think you'd make it through the night."

Killian laughed, which made both his throat and stomach ache.

"No laughing," Whale said. "Try not to talk too much right now. Your body needs to heal."

"Emma... taken..."

"You can tell us about it in a few hours," Whale said. "I mean it. If you push yourself now, you can make things much worse. I need to ask you some questions, so here's how we're going to do it. Blink once for yes, twice for no. Do you understand?"

Killian blinked once, yes.

"Good. Do you know your blood type?"

 _What the bloody hell is that?_ he thought. Then he blinked twice, no.

"Have you ever had an injury like this before?"

Killian blinked once, yes.

Whale began, "Blink the number of times - "

"This is ridiculous!" Regina interrupted. "Captain Hook has been maimed and nearly killed dozens of times in the past few centuries."

Killian blinked once, yes.

"Well then, I will attribute your miraculous recovery to practice," Whale said. Then he added, "Rest, don't speak. Henry, don't let him speak, you understand?"

Henry nodded, yes.

Killian relaxed into the bed, defeat weighing heavily on him. He could barely say two words before the pain became too much. The ice chips alleviated it for only a few minutes at best.

He closed his eyes to muster his strength, and he heard Whale and Regina speaking despite the distance and their lowered voices.

"We need to get him somewhere with actual medical equipment and a blood bank," Whale said. "I have no idea how he's not dead, but if we want to stay that way, he'll need a transfusion. And I can't give him one without knowing his blood type. Unless either of you is O negative?"

"No," Regina replied. "I'm going to look through his things. He must have a phone or something to communicate with Emma and whoever else he's been traveling with. If my father is here, I need to find him."

His heart skipped a beat. Surely the Evil Queen would recognize the Magic Mirror when she saw it, even in its compact state. With that, they could easily find Emma, which meant her rescue was not far off.

"Regina said you're Captain Hook," Henry said, his voice overpowering those in the distance.

Killian opened his eyes and blinked once, yes.

"And my mom gave you your hand back?" he asked.

He blinked once, yes.

"You said my mom is here, but what about my dad?" 

Dread hit him like a ton of bricks. Emma worried over this conversation but neither of them thought Killian would be the one to tell the boy his father wasn't here. With bloody blinking, no less.

But he did it anyway. He blinked twice, no.

"Is he back in the Enchanted Forest? Is he okay?"

He blinked twice, no.

Killian regretted it immediately. The look on Henry's face crushed his heart, and he wanted to tell the boy that his father died bravely, that he fought to get here.

"I'm sorry," was all Killian could manage.

* * *

Emma continued her hike through the woods with Sidney guiding her. For safety, he kept her off the main trails, adding hours to her journey. 

It was four hours past dawn before she returned to the place they were attacked. Killian wasn't there.

"His mirror is nearby," Sidney said. "It's just in front of you."

Emma was facing a large oak tree. She looked around and spotted Killian's satchel behind its roots. Her hands trembled as she picked it up and searched its contents.

Killian's mirror was inside.

She went to the place he had fallen, but only a small pool of blood remained. One of the necklaces he wore was on the ground, so she pocketed it. Had he taken it off and left it as a breadcrumb? Or had it been knocked off during the fray?

She scoured the area, desperately hoping to find him alive and in hiding, but she knew before she started that he hadn't moved of his own accord. If he had, there would've been handprints and partial drag marks from him getting to his feet. 

All she found were a few footprints that didn't match the others in the clearing. Three people had carried Killian off. 

Perhaps Dorothy had sent people for him. Maybe she wanted to save him, or maybe Cruella didn't want a body lying around. The only thing she could be sure of was that Killian wasn't here.

But was he alive when they took him?

She took a rag from her pack and dipped it in his blood. She used it to write a message on the closest tree.

> I WILL FIND YOU, KILLIAN.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter comes from a naval expression that means to sever all connection with someone after a quarrel.


	2. A Wide Berth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killian's motive for being in a Land without Magic come under question. Meanwhile, Emma enacts a dangerous plan to get Killian back.

Emma stood on the deck of the Jolly Roger, staring out at the oddly still water before her. Even the wind wasn't blowing; barely a breezed passed them by.

It had been four days since Dot and her companions attacked. Four days since she lost Killian in the woods. Four days without any sign of Cruella or her minions in Maine.

Emma had hiked to the shore without a moment's rest and stolen a motorboat - similar to their lifeboats, but operated a single hand - to take her to the Jolly Roger. Once she was aboard, she collapsed.

She remained asleep for nearly an entire day, and when she woke, Sidney had still not found a trace of Killian, Dot, or anyone else. She nearly screamed when Senior insisted on recovering the lifeboat she and Killian had hid ashore. In the end, she humored him and retrieved it. After all, it was part of the Jolly Roger, and in that way, it was part of Killian.

And she'd already lost the better part of him.

After that, they headed out to sea. Emma assumed they would go to Haven, but instead they went south to a place called Providence in the Land of Rhode Island.

She should've been fighting tooth and nail to return to shore. She should've knocked Senior unconscious and taken the helm of the Jolly. She should've tracked down Regina and whoever else was in Haven and demanded their aid.

But she didn't.

Every time she tried to muster the will to fight, a deep dread came over her and smothered every ounce of her strength. It centered around a singular thought.

_What if he was already dead?_

Thus she stood on deck, looking out at the motionless water. She had lived as Princess Emma, the Savior of the Realm, and the Dark One, but today, she was Emma Swan, lost, alone, and frozen in place.

She didn't know enough about this realm. She didn't even know where to start looking for him.

"Miss Swan?"

It was the Magic Mirror.

"Did you find Cruella?" she asked as she opened the compact. "Or Killian?"

"No, Miss Swan," Sidney replied. "But we now have the means to find them."

"How?"

"The Jolly Roger is anchored outside of Providence to rendezvous with the rest of our party."

"Robin and Red?" she asked.

"Along with Mulan, Roland, Lucas, Anna, Anita, and Roger." 

"Anita and Roger?" she repeated, confused. "They were supposed to head north after getting Robin and Red to the Land of Kansas."

"I don't want to bore you with the details at a time like this, but their plans changed," he replied. "You are to meet them and escort the children, Anita, and Red back to the ship."

"What about Robin, Roger, and Mulan?" Emma asked.

"They plan to drive south," he replied. "To confuse their pursuers."

"I thought they escaped whoever was following them."

"Only for a time," Sidney said. "They are persistent, but I believe this affords us an opportunity."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Miss Swan, it may be best to keep this between us," he said. "When I was guiding Robin and Red to Mulan and the others, I learned a great deal about Cruella's forces."

"Like what?"

"For one, there aren't that many," he replied. "Mulan told me five distinct people sought her and the children, but never all five together. Usually only a pair."

"That doesn't mean - "

"Please, if you will," Sidney interrupted. "Mulan noticed that, around the time of our arrival in this land, only two tracked them. You said you encountered - "

"Three of them," she interrupted. "Dorothy Gale and two guys, Greg and Mike."

"Indeed, which leads me to believe Cruella only has five or six people at her disposal," he replied. "And three are injured. One by Robin, two others by you and the Captain, so if they do have him - "

"They do," she interrupted. "They must."

"Then the answer is obvious."

"Sidney, you're a genius."

* * *

Killian's eyes fluttered open. He wasn't sure how long he'd been like this, but his mind felt weak and his mind, sluggish. The pain in his head and torso had, thankfully, subsided, though his wound ached whenever he shifted.

He was in a different room. The ceiling was higher, and he was surrounded by desks and books.

"Finally, you're awake."

He turned his face to look at the Evil Queen. She was leaning against the wall, and her dark eyes glared daggers at him.

"I have questions for you, pirate."

"Emma," he said. "Where's... Emma?"

"That's a good a place as any," she replied.

"Haven't found her?" he asked as he struggled to sit up.

"Haven't been looking."

"How... how long?" he asked.

"I'm the one asking the questions. Stop trying to get up," she said harshly. "You'll just hurt yourself again."

"What's wrong with me?"

"You were shot. Then a madman sedated you, shoved a tub down your throat to keep you breathing, and cut out the bullet with a kitchen knife and a spatula. I believe your current state is mostly induced by the pain killers. Though I'm sure the sedatives play their part."

Killian collapsed in the bed, too weak and drowsy to even sit up properly.

"No more," he said.

"What?"

"Pain killers. Sedatives. No more."

Because if the bloody Evil Queen wasn't looking for Emma, then he needed his wits back so he could do it himself.

"That can be arranged, though I'm sure you'll change your mind," she said. "But you digress. If you wish to go on living in this realm, then I suggest you answer my questions to my satisfaction. Do yourself a favor, pirate. Don't lie to me."

"You're wasting time," he said. "You need to find Emma."

"What I need is to find out how many lies you've told my son," the Evil Queen hissed.

" _Your_ son?"

"The Dark One exiled me to this land as much as Henry," she replied. "For the past three years, I've atoned for my mistakes. I made sure he was clothed, fed, attended the best schools. Make no mistake, since we came to this realm, I have been Henry's mother."

Killian grimaced at her words. He had heard many a legend of the Evil Queen and her pursuit of vengeance on Snow White and those she loved. Emma had told him countless other stories of her wickedness, yet the Evil Queen believed that she could not only atone for these deeds but that, somehow, she already had.

"You can imagine my concern, of course," she continued. "A stranger with no previous connection to Miss Swan - or any of her family for that matter - mysteriously appears in this realm claiming that she traveled here with him. Until, of course, she was abducted by persons who left leave you for dead. I've checked through your things, pirate. The only proof of her connection to you is a single page from a storybook written in her hand. Do you really expect me to believe me? Do you expect me to go to her parents on the word of a pirate? For all I know, you attacked her, and she shot you. For all I know, she's dead."

He heard it in her voice: disdain. She hated Emma, her siblings, and her parents with every fiber of her being. Yet she loved the boy. He could hear that as well.

He swallowed. How hard could it be to convince the Evil Queen?

* * *

Emma spent the rest of the morning preparing. She couldn't leave anything to chance, so she had to ensure that a party of at least six people (and their luggage and provisions) could return to the Jolly Roger without her aid.

So she spent an hour tethering both lifeboats to either side of the motorboat. She imagined Killian would've set up a tow, but given the location of the motor, it seemed a poor option. Just in case, she tied down a pair of oars in each boat.

Thus, after lunch, Emma made for the shoreline, and Sidney filled her in.

"According to Mulan, the two people following them are bounty hunters," Sidney said. "Naturally, they have an assortment of aliases, but she knows one is a woman. She heard her call the man 'John' when he was put in mortal peril."

"John?" Emma repeated. "John Darling."

Something dark inside her came to the surface and smiled. There was something so... _satisfying_ about abducting Dorothy Gale's partner in crime, the man who posed as her husband, and doing him harm.

"Do we know anything else?" she asked. "The name of the woman?"

"I'm afraid she has proven more cautious than her male counterpart, though we suspect her last name is Smith," he replied. "Unfortunately, in this land, that is a very common family name."

"Very well," she said.

"I just received word from Mulan. They are making their way on foot to the shore," Sidney said. "They will be prepared to disembark upon your arrival, and Anita assured me she knows how to operate a motorboat. She also told me that she acquired... uh, fuel... yes, additional fuel, which is apparently required for its operation."

"It's a good thing we asked. I had no idea. I thought it was the kind that had to be plugged in."

 

Emma received her first surprise of the day before she reached the shore. Two strangers waited by Anita and Red. 

"Sidney, who the hell are those two?"

"I believe that is Melinda Page and her daughter, Lily." Sidney replied.

"Who the hell are they?"

"People from our land."

"And they just happened to be here, now?" she asked.

"My apologies, Miss Swan," he replied. "I wasn't aware they had decided to travel - "

"But you knew about them?" she interrupted.

"Uh, yes, Melinda and Lily have been helping Mulan and the children hide in this realm," he replied. "I wasn't aware that they chose to travel with us."

Emma tied the boats down with help from Red and Robin. A whirlwind of introductions coincided with people moving every which way, loading packs, grocery bags, and equipment from a large van into the boats.

Emma felt a pang of jealously when saw Robin with his son, Roland, and Red with Mulan and their twins. It made her heart ache for Henry and Killian.

Anita sat in the back of the motorboat by the handle to steer, and everyone else spread out between the three boats. But Robin, Mulan, Roger, Melinda, and Emma remained on shore.

"Robin, Mulan... you should go with them," Emma said. 

"But we must deal with these bounty hunters," Mulan protested.

"Roger and I and... uh, Melinda, we got this. Go on. Go be together. Be with your kids."

"Thank you, Emma," Robin said.

"We'll be ready to pick you up at the next rendezvous point," Mulan said. "And, thank you."

They boarded and the boats departed, slowly making their way to the Jolly Roger. Once they were far enough out, the trio returned to the van. Roger took the driver's seat.

"You two should sit in back," he said out the window. "Anyone sitting up front can be seen on traffic cams."

Emma decided against asking what the hell that meant and why they should care. She climbed into the back and secured the awkward safety belt across her chest. Melinda joined her moments later from the other side of the van.

"Do I know you?" Melinda asked as she buckled in.

"I don't think so," Emma replied. "How long have you been in this realm?"

"Over thirty years."

"So we probably haven't met," Emma said.

"You just seem... familiar to me."

Roger started the car, and they pulled out.

"So, what's the plan?" Emma asked.

"We drive southwest," Roger replied. "Back the way we came, keeping to the highways this time, heading straight for Cleveland. From there we can catch a flight to anywhere the ship can pick us up."

"Flight?" Emma asked. "Didn't you say that we'd need IDs for that?"

"I have an old friend in Cleveland," Melinda said. "Not really a friend, but he owes me a favor. He's arranged for a private aircraft. It won't be the most pleasant flight, but it'll get us away from Cruella and her pets."

"Speaking of, how close are they?" Emma asked.

"They caught up with us in Kentucky and again in Pennsylvania," Roger said. "But we were able to ditch them both times. Haven't gotten close since, though the motel we stayed at last night called to warn us that two people asked about us this morning."

"So, close enough," Emma said.

"We've been cutting back and forth, backtracking, making our movements as erratic as possible," Roger explained. "That's why it took us so long to get here."

"How much do you know about these people, Melinda?" Emma asked.

"Enough to make me run," she replied. "Why?"

"They've taken someone," Emma said. "Someone I care about. I want him back."

"You seem certain they've taken him and that he's alive," Melinda said.

"Dorothy or Dot or whoever the hell she is shot him in the woods," Emma said. "If they wanted to kill him, leaving him to die would've been easier. But they took him."

"Intriguing. Is he from our land?"

"Yes, his name is Captain Killian Jones," Emma replied. "But he was known throughout our realm as Captain Hook."

Melinda laughed, and her mirth filled the car until she had to stop to breath.

 

It took nearly thirty minutes to sort out Melinda's reaction to Killian's name. Apparently, Melinda had met him on more than one occasion. Melinda went on at length about her past, but the long and short of it was that she was Maleficient, the powerful dragon-sorceress that disappeared the day before Emma was born. No one had heard from her since.

Emma was confused and more than a little pissed off, but then she heard a high whistling sound emanating from her bag... Sidney's signal.

She took out the Magic Mirror. "What's the what, Sidney?"

"You should stop at the gas station off this exit," Sidney replied. "If you're quick, they'll keep going on this highway in the wrong direction."

"Thanks," she replied before tucking the mirror away.

Roger did as asked, filling the tank before parking away from the other cars.

"I need the rest room," he said. "Anyone else?"

They both shook their heads, no, so he left, disappearing behind the building.

"I'm gonna go stretch my legs," Emma said.

She didn't wait for a reply. She strolled out to the convenience store attached to the station, keeping her hood down to hide her face. It didn't take her long to find what she was looking for.

A silver car with matching plate numbers. Sidney was right, Cruella's minions were here. Now all she had to do was find them, and the best way to do that was to get them to come to her. 

So she stepped outside during a particularly strong gust of wind. It wasn't strong enough to knock her hood back, so she helped it along, and her hair went everywhere. She gave herself a few moments of fighting it, ensuring that anyone sitting in one of the cars out front had a good look at her, before she ducked back inside and properly fixed it.

A thin woman with black hair, dark eyes, and dark skin stepped out of the passenger side of the silver car. She must be the mysterious Smith woman.

On the pretense of going to the bathroom, she went to the back of the store, nearly crashing into Roger.

"Ah, I see you changed your mind," he said casually.

 _Shit, shit, shit!_ she thought. She hadn't planned on him being here, and the last thing she wanted was for him to get hurt.

"Go out to the car," she said, improvising. "Take that back door. Do it now."

"Emma, what - "

"Do it now," she interrupted.

"What about you?"

"Bring the van around back. I'll be out soon," she replied. "Go!"

Roger slipped out before the mystery woman came through the front door, and a sliver of relief ran through Emma. She had wanted to abduct John on the hopes he was John Darling, but she'd settle for this woman if it meant getting Killian back.

She went into the bathroom for a few minutes to prepare herself mentally. She'd grab the woman and drag her out the back door. It wasn't a great plan. The store clerk would definitely see them, for one thing, but she couldn't didn't have any other ideas.

That was why it was a relief to see that the clerk was gone when she first stepped outside the bathroom. Until, of course, she realized why he wasn't there. 

She swerved just in time to escape the man who tried to grab her from behind. The mystery woman then shot something at her. It wasn't a gun, but Emma had no desire to be on the receiving end of it. So she ducked and went behind the desk. 

Had she not been on high-alert to abduct someone herself, the tag-team attack would've been highly affective. Instead, Smith shot her partner, and he collapsed to the floor with his body shaking.

Smith ran over to him, and whatever she did relieved his convulsions.

"John, are you will me?" she asked.

"Tamara," he said. "Get... her."

Emma grabbed a few hefty objects from her immediate area - they were all shaped like land transports but were small enough to fit in her hand - and she began pitching them at Tamara's head.

The first two struck her, hitting her in the shoulder and square in the back, but it wasn't enough to take her down. So Emma grabbed a club-like object that was hidden behind the desk before emerging.

Tamara - assuming that was her name - was livid. She had two very short sticks in her hand, but with a flick of her wrists, they expanded into batons. Emma could've run for the front door, but that would risk Tamara running out the back, straight into the van.

So Emma attacked.

Whoever this woman was, she was trained in combat. More than that, she was a warrior. Emma found herself facing a skilled opponent while armed with an unfamiliar weapon. Tamara kept forcing her to block, and once she did, Tamara would strike the Emma's fingers with the other baton, weakening her grip.

Emma kicked hard when she got close enough, pushing her back, but it wasn't enough. Tamara rebounded quickly, forcing Emma back at the worst possible moment.

Emma was cornered with bloodied knuckles. Right now, she could barely keep hold of her weapon. If she tried to swing it, she might lose it all together, and with her hands as they were, she couldn't hope to hold on to one of her knives any better.

A moment of hesitation, and the baton connected with her side rather than the club. The pain was shocking, and she screamed as she stumbled sideways into the wall. She gasped for breath, certain that the knock-out blow was soon to follow.

CRACK!

Emma turned to see someone wrestling with Tamara, who now had a trickle of blood running down the side of her face. A closer look revealed the assailant to be Melinda. Emma jumped into action.

The initial attack forced Tamara to drop her batons, and she was too busy trying to take whatever Melinda had away to retrieve them. Melinda forced Tamara back, and Emma picked up her discarded weapons before grabbing some nearby hitching equipment and tearing the rope out of the packaging.

Then she joined the fray, taking out both Tamara's knees. Melinda then kneed her in the head. It wasn't enough to make her unconscious, but it left Tamara dazed and confused long enough to tie her hands behind her back.

"Thanks," Emma said..

"Don't mention it," she replied as she pocketed her lead pipe.

"Tie the other one up?" Emma asked, handing Melinda the rope.

She nodded and left her to deal with their fallen friend.

"You bitch," Tamara spat.

"I'm gonna need you to get a message to your boss," Emma said.

"Why don't you tell her yourself?"

"Because, you're gonna do it," Emma replied. "Tell her I want a trade."

"A trade? What, me and him so she'll leave you alone? That ain't happening," Tamara replied.

"Tell Cruella that if she wants your partner back alive, she'll rescue Killian," she replied. "If she doesn't know what I mean, tell her to ask Dot Darling."

"You're insane."

"Did you get all that? Or should I write it down?" Emma asked.

"Screw you!"

Emma hit her with an elbow strike, and this time, it was hard enough to knock her out.

"So, we're abducting people?" Melinda asked.

"Just him," Emma replied. "We can leave her for the store clerk to find."

"Serves him right," Melinda said as she lifted half of John Darling's trussed body.

"How's that?" Emma asked as she grabbed his feet.

"They paid him off to take a thirty minute break," she replied. "He's outside pretending to smoke."

"Is he?" Emma asked.

"With a nasty black eye," Melinda added.

Together they made their way through the back door, where the van waited for them. Roger protested the abduction, but once he realized he was outnumbered, he helped them load their captive into the back seat. Once John was restrained, Roger riffled through the man's pockets.

"What are you doing?" Emma asked.

"Being smart," Melinda replied. "If he has a phone or electronic device on him, his partner could probably track it. Good thinking, Roger."

He nodded before handing off a phone, a device that Emma didn't recognize, and a key chain. She quickly dumped them in the trash before climbing in the van.

"We should patch you up," Melinda said as Roger pulled out of the parking lot.

"Can we do that without stopping?" Emma asked.

"I certainly can," Melinda said with a wry smile as she produced a fresh medical kit. "That convenience store really fits its name. They had everything we needed."

Despite her bloodied hands and the bruise already forming on her left side, Emma smiled. It worked. They now had a bargaining chip and someone to interrogate.

Melinda put a paper towel on Emma's lap, and guessing its purpose, she put her hands over it.

"This will sting," Melinda warned her as she held up a bottle.

Emma nodded. Melinda poured, and she wasn't joking, it stung. It burned. She sucked in her scream with a tight gasp, and she distracted herself from the pain by focusing on a single thought:

_I will find you, Killian._


	3. In Close Quarters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma, Roger, and Melinda return to the Jolly Roger to find a number of surprises aboard.

Emma had spent the next day traveling in awkward silence, particularly on Roger's part. Their captive was in and out of consciousness for most of the day, though she suspected John might have been feigning it.

They had to abandon their plan to fly, as Melinda's friend couldn't accommodate a hostage. That, and should Cruella agree to the trade, they'd have to set up a location, which meant losing her and her minions was no longer in the cards. So they changed course and headed to Maine, where they assumed Cruella was waiting.

Roger was deeply unhappy with the abrupt change of plan, especially because they had to drive through the night. He and Melinda took turns at the wheel and sleeping, while Emma watched the prisoner.

Once they arrived in Portland, they found a suitable building to serve as a hideaway, and Emma took the opportunity to interrogate the man they abducted.

She tied him to an old metal chair in the middle of what must've once been a supply closet.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"John Darling," he replied. It was the truth.

"Why were you following my friends?" she asked.

"What's your name?" John asked.

"Emma Swan. Your friends took someone. I want him back."

"They're not my friends," he replied. "You should've taken Tamara. Cruella actually tells her things."

"Cruella took my friend," she said. "Where would she keep him?"

"I don't know," he replied. "I haven't spoken with her since she left for Maine."

"You expect me to believe that your boss doesn't tell me anything?"

"She's not my boss," John replied harshly. "That's why she sends me and my brother with people she trusts. She won't let us do missions together."

"Any particular reason?"

John bit his lip and looked away, his fear palpable, but Emma didn't care how afraid he was. If he knew anything that could lead her to Killian, she would make him spill his guts.

She grabbed the lapels of his shirt and brought herself close, getting in his face.

"Listen to me, John Darling," she said coldly. "I came here to find people I've lost. Your friends, or whoever the hell they are, have done nothing but get in my way and hurt the people I care about. And nobody seems to know or care why."

"I can't say."

"Tell me!"

"I can't say, if they find out - "

"Why should I care what they do to you if they find out?" she demanded.

"Not to me!" he said. "To my sister!"

Sometimes she hated her ability to read the truth. The mere suggestion that he could be lying was enough reason to keep pushing him, but she saw it in his eyes. Cruella was using his sister to keep him - and likely his brother - in line. So she released him and took a few steps back.

"Your sister?" she repeated.

"Wendy, Wendy Darling," he replied. "Wendy, Michael, and I... we all tried to be heroes and failed. She was taken captive, and my brother and I were put into service. If we don't do as we're told, she suffers."

"You said Cruella isn't your boss."

"She's not," John replied. "I swear to you, she's not. She's like Mikey and I - a pawn, really - except she's managed to recruit others to our cause by manipulating them into thinking they're serving a higher purpose."

"What higher purpose?" Emma asked.

"Dot believes she's preventing an invasion of this realm from the Wicked Witch," John said. "The others... they believe they're working to protect this realm from magic."

"Protecting it from magic?" Emma asked. "What does that mean?"

"This is a Land without Magic. There are those who believe that its very presence here is a blemish, a scar, that will ruin us all," he replied. "Tamara believes magic is unholy, that it needs to be eradicated from this realm."

"That's insane."

Melinda popped her head into the room. "Emma, we have to get the hell out of here. The police are coming. They're heading here. Now."

Before she could reply, Melinda disappeared again. Emma began to remove the restraints to his chair.

"Listen to me. Cruella doesn't care how insane the beliefs are, just as long as people do as they're told," John said. "Please, Emma Swan, listen to me. If we do have your friend, Cruella will never trade him for me. She'll arrange for it, but then ambush you when you arrive. She doesn't care what happens to me. She follows orders herself, and if she disobeys, she'll never get what she wants."

She heard sirens, but it was the sound of a car starting caught Emma's attention. She turned and saw their new car pulled right alongside the door. 

"Emma, we have to go right now!" Roger shouted from the passenger side.

"I just need two more minutes to untie him!"

"We don't have two more minutes!" Roger said. "We've got to leave him!"

Desperate, Emma turned to him and asked, "Who gives you the orders? If not Cruella, then who?"

"I can't..."

"Tell me!"

John began, "Do you know of a place, a realm, where - "

Roger yanked Emma away, dragging her bodily back to the car. The sirens grew louder, and Emma finally accepted defeat, turning to car and leaping into the back seat. Melinda pulled out, tires screeching, before she could even get her seatbelt on.

"Did you learn anything?" Melinda asked as she drove through the maze-like building toward the far exit.

"Cruella isn't calling the shots," she replied. "And even if they agreed to trade Killian for John, it'd just be a trap."

"Then it's probably good we left him behind," Roger said.

"How the hell did they find us?" Emma asked.

"He's probably got a tracker implant," Roger said. "It's like finding a phone with GPS, but it's surgically added to the body. They just waited till we stood still for an hour or two and closed in. It was stupid to take him in the first place."

"If I hadn't taken him, we never would've found out about Cruella," Emma said.

"Yeah, and we would've already gotten back to the ship, where Cruella can't touch us," Roger added. "According to your own informant - if he can even be trusted - Cruella won't trade for or simply return your friend. It was a terrible strategy from the start."

"Would you be singing that same tune if Anita was the one they'd taken?" Emma asked. 

"Yes!" Roger replied harshly. "Your failed! I suspect you knew we'd draw such a conclusion, given that you kept both of us in the dark about it."

Emma opened her mouth to reply, but she realized he was right. She and Sidney were in cahoots and kept the others out of it on purpose. She told herself it wasn't worth the huge debate it would start, that they'd waste valuable time convincing the others that it was the right plan. But the truth was, she was desperate, and in her mind, even a bad plan was better than running away and hiding.

 

Hours later, they abandoned the new car and hiked through the woods, covering their trail as they went. According to the navigational device Melinda had, they were less than a mile away from the edge of Haven, and according to Sidney, the Jolly Roger was currently anchored off its coast.

The docks were on the outskirts of town, so they arrived much faster than Emma expected. She should've been relieved, but the truth was, she wasn't ready to deal with the fall out yet. She knew she had fences to mend, but she was too angry to apologize to anyone.

"There," Roger said, pointing to a dock with an orange-and-white striped flag. "That's the marker Anita told me about."

Roger and Melinda began moving, but Emma hung back on the pretense of checking in with Sidney, who had been remarkably quiet for the past day.

"Emma?" Melinda asked.

"I'll only be a minute," Emma said.

They walked toward the dock, and she opened her compact. Sidney wasn't there.

"Sidney? Sidney?"

"Miss Swan," he replied. "I'm afraid I've not been able to track our villains since your meeting with them at the gas station, though I am still trying."

"You think they know about you?" Emma asked.

"It's possible," Sidney replied. "But perhaps they were being careless on purpose. It's... it's possible that I lead you into a trap. I should've known. I found them so easily and so close - "

"I asked you to," Emma interrupted. "It's not your fault. We're heading back to the ship now. Any... any updates?"

"I'm afraid all my efforts have been consumed with trying to track your pursuers," he replied. "If you'd like, I can - "

"No," she interrupted again.

She felt like someone was watching her, so she quickly searched her immediate area. There was nothing. No one. And the sounds from the harbor were just loud enough to obscure movement.

"Thank you, Sidney," she said. "Let me know if you find them again."

"Very well, Miss Swan."

With a pit tightening in her stomach, she closed the mirror and high-tailed it to the dock.

"Ah, there she is," Robin said, waving her over to the motorboat.

"Hey Robin, Anita," Emma said as she stepped inside. "You both didn't need to come."

"Aren't you happy to see me?" Robin asked.

He tucked the orange-and-white flag beneath his seat, and Anita started the engine and navigated out of the harbor.

"So, how's Roland?" Emma asked.

"Actually, quite well," he replied.

They chatted about Roland, Lucas, and Anna as they zipped across the water, heading for a large rock that she assumed was the Jolly Roger.

Despite spending the past few months being chased by Cruella and her minions, apparently the twins and Roland were no worse for the wear. 

It was easy to keep up pretenses when they were talking about such a happy topic. No one asked about the future. They didn't talk about how they'd get Killian back nor how she'd find their family. Indeed, no one even asked what they would do once they were all reunited. Would they all live together on the Jolly, constantly hiding from Cruella? Would they seek refuge in another kingdom?"

"Emma?" Robin said, interrupting her train of thought.

They were alone in the boat. The others must've climbed up while she was lost in thought.

"Are you all right?" Robin asked.

"No, I'm not," she replied.

"Come aboard. There's a surprise."

She nodded and climbed up the ladder, her mind still drifting back to Killian. He traveled to more realms than anyone living, so he would be valuable to Cruella or whoever was calling the shots. They'd want him alive. She held on to that thought.

Once she was clear, Mulan and Robin hoisted the motorboat out of the water and over the deck, and Emma felt a small pang of guilt about stealing the vessel. It was kept in fine condition, so whoever owned it was likely missing it by now. 

Red gripped her in a stunningly strong hug, welcoming her back with a kind smile.

"I heard you kidnapped someone," Red said.

"It seemed like a good plan at the time," Emma said, trying to explain herself.

"Hey, we're talking about the people who chased Mulan and the kids around for months," Red said. "Kidnapping was too nice a punishment, Emma."

"Come along," Robin said. "Your surprise is in the mess."

"Robin, I can't... I don't want a surprise," Emma said. "I can't even think about that. My family is still out there, and Cruella's people have Killian, and - "

"No one told her?" Red asked, interrupting. 

"Told me what?" Emma asked.

"Cruella doesn't have Killian," Red replied. "Senior brought us to Haven to find Regina, and apparently she found Killian wounded in the woods, so - "

"You know where he is?" Emma interrupted.

"Yes, he's down in the mess," Red replied. "But - "

Emma didn't wait for an explanation. She practically jumped down the ladder from the main deck, moving as quickly as she could through the ship. She didn't care why Sidney didn't know Killian was alright. She didn't want to know why no one used those stupid phone devices from this realm to tell her. She didn't even care about Senior's reunion with his daughter, Regina.

She just needed to see him. She needed to know he was safe and alive.

Emma crashed into a man with dark brown skin large, warm eyes, and a prominent scar on his neck. She pushed past him, not caring about the identity of this new arrival, but her mind registered something eerily familiar about him.

Inside the mess, the tables had been hauled and tied to the edges of the deck, making the space much more open. There were several large devices that Emma did not recognize strapped down so they wouldn't move an inch.

And there, in the middle, was a large bed with wheels, also strapped down. There were computer-like devices all around making sounds with medicine bags and tubes connected to Killian Jones.

"Killian?" she said. "Killian!"

She ran to him and collapsed by his side. He was asleep and in strange clothes, but it was definitely him.

"Killian?" she repeated.

But he didn't wake.

"Give him a minute," the man she bumped into said.

"What... is he all right?" she asked.

"He's recovering," the man said. "He refused pain meds for a day or so, tried to get back on his feet, and popped all his stitches. He's a terrible patient."

"But he'll be okay?" she asked.

"When he stops acting like a fool," the man replied. "My name is Taio, by the way. I work with Doctor Whale."

Before she could introduce herself, Killian's eyes fluttered opened.

"Emma?" he said weakly. "Are you really here, Swan?"

"Ah, well, I'll give you two a few minutes," Taio replied. "But only a few. He really does need to rest."

Every terrible thing in her head disappeared under the tidal wave of relief she felt when Killian smiled. She leaned her forehead into his, holding back her tears as she pulled him into a haphazard hug.

"Did you miss me?" he asked.

"You idiot, of course I missed you. I thought... I thought..."

"I worried the same for you, love," he said quietly. "Seems we were both quite wrong. Thankfully."

"Killian, I'm sorry," she said. "I'm sorry for what I said, that stupid fight, I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too, Swan," he replied. "We can talk about all that later. Your family needs you now."

"I still haven't... I don't know where they are."

His blue eyes went wide in shock.

She felt the urge to explain herself, so she said, "Once I got free of Dot and her thugs, I went looking for you. I thought they left you to die. Then I thought they had you captive, so... I couldn't look for my family. Not when you were in danger. Not when it - "

"Swan," he interrupted. "You should go to our quarters."

"What?"

"Taio and the doctor keep telling me to rest," he replied. "Now that I know you're safe aboard the Jolly again, I finally can. Go back to our quarters, love."

She saw how tired he looked, so she placed a kiss on his forehead and another on his lips.

"Sleep well, Killian."

"Good night, Swan."

Taio nodded at her as she left the mess, and she decided to climb down one of the rope ladders to the lower decks. It afforded her a measure of solitude as she walked back to the captain's quarters, avoiding the crew bunks as well as the more trafficked decks of the ship, till she ascended another rope ladder just outside the door of their cabin.

As she reached for the handle, she heard laughter coming from inside. She was furious. Who would dare use their cabin when Killian was injured?

Then the pieces clicked together. He was shocked that she didn't know where her family was, and he told her to go to their quarters. Did that mean what she thought it meant? Her hand began to shake as she pawed the doorknob.

Emma opened the door, and three faces turned to her. Her heart skipped several beats, and she became frozen in place.

"Emma?"

"Mom? Mom!"

Henry was suddenly wrapped around her in a hug that rivaled only Red's. Snow and Charming joined moments later, and Emma did her best to take everything in.

Henry was at least three inches taller and somewhat leaner, but his face was much the same as she remembered it. Her parents both had a bit more gray and white than she remembered, but their smiles cut their age in half.

Emma's arms latched onto all of them, and she buried her head in her son's hair, squeezing them all as if letting them go would mean losing them all again.

"I believe you have some catching up to do."

The Evil Queen had been in the cabin, too, but she didn't join the group hug. Instead, she slithered out the door, somehow managing to slip past the reunited family members without drawing attention.

"I want to thank you, Miss Swan," the Evil Queen said. "For my father."

"Regina, you should stay and tell my mom," Henry said.

"Perhaps another time," the Evil Queen - no, Regina - said. "You four deserve some time together."

With that, she departed, and Emma joined her parents and son in the Captain's cabin, shutting the door behind her.

* * *

Killian Jones was a stubborn man long before he became a pirate. Doctor Whale and Nurse Taio constantly reprimanded him for moving too much, pushing himself too hard, but he wasn't made for sitting still.

Everyone had reassured him that Emma had escaped her captors and that she would be returning soon, but he knew no relief until he woke to find her sitting on his bed. How many days had they been apart? Between his injury and the drugs the doctor gave him, he couldn't tell a day apart from an hour. He supposed that it no longer mattered. Emma had returned to him unharmed.

He felt better, and for a time he did sleep. But he woke in the middle of the night alert and unturned. Emma, no doubt, would be asleep by now, or perhaps reminiscing with her family. He had no desire to intrude on that. No, what he needed was a walk on the deck of his ship.

Killian got out of bed, and he felt surprisingly well. Whale, who was sitting half-asleep by his beside, protested for a moment before falling unconscious again.

So the pirate moved slowly and carefully, and he took the longer route to the main deck so that he had stairs to climb rather than ladders. He passed through the bunks, which were almost as full as when he last had a crew. They all slept on, or at the very least made no attempt to stop him as he ascended.

Robin Hood stood at the helm with Regina. Perhaps it was just the moonlight, but their encounter seemed romantic.

He settled for a spot along the railing, looking out over the water. It was a cloudless night, so even though the moon wasn't full, the silver rays lit up the sky almost as clear as day. Killian smiled as he looked up at a thousand stars whose names he didn't yet know.

"You should be resting," Emma said.

"Aye, but I needed to stretch my legs," he said. "Shouldn't you be with your family, Swan?"

"They're sleeping," she replied. "I couldn't."

"Fancy that," he said quietly.

"I am sorry," she said. "About that fight we had. And not just because you were hurt. When I woke up and you weren't there, and Dot told me they'd left you to die..."

"Hush, love, that's all in the past," he said. "And I recall saying unpleasant things myself. Let's speak no more about it."

He pulled her close, ready to kiss her, but someone interrupted.

"You should be in bed, pirate," Regina said. "We don't want to waste those generators on powering your hospital equipment forever just because you can't sit still for a few days."

"I'll make sure he gets back to his bed," Emma said. "And, Regina, uh, thanks."

Regina gave her a quizzical look.

"My parents and Henry told me about what you did for them," Emma explained. "Thank you."

"Yes, well, good night," Regina said awkwardly, as if she didn't know how to say 'your welcome.'

But Killian wasn't interested in the Evil Queen at the moment. His attention was entirely focused on an object drifting through the air. It was too large to be an animal, but it wasn't the vessels of the sky in this realm either. All he could really make out from the deck was that it was round and green with a small brown basket beneath it.

"What the bloody hell is that?" Killian asked.

"A hot air balloon," Regina replied. "A tourist trap. Usually they run them during the day, but if you have more money, they'll take you out on a clear night like this."

"There are people aboard... that?" Killian asked.

"Stupid people," Regina said. "There's nothing to worry about. No one can see the Jolly Roger unless they're invited aboard. Correct?"

"Aye, unless they use blood magic," Killian replied.

"Which requires a blood tie to someone aboard this ship," Regina said. "Tell me, does anyone here have wayward family members who might be vacationing in a Land without Magic? No? Then ignore it."

With that, Regina returned to the helm to speak with Robin.

"We should get you back to bed," Emma said as she wrapped her arm around him. "The Jolly Roger will be needed her Captain in shipshape."

"Aye, Swan," he said.

She went up on her tiptoes, and suddenly her lips were on his. His hands came up behind her lower back and behind her head, and the kiss deepened, her familiar scent all around him. Her arms reached for him, touching his neck and cheek. She nibbled at his bottom lip, and he opened his mouth for her gladly, revealing in her sweet, salty taste.

When she stepped back, he nearly groaned at the loss of her closeness, but if they kept this up, he would definitely reinjure himself.

"Come on, Captain, back to your bed," she said playfully.

"Are you coming with me, love?" he asked.

She smiled, and something warm began to build in his belly. He ran his fingers through her hair, wondering if she was really here with him, of if this was some kind of dream.

"Regina? Regina!" Robin explained.

THUMP-CRASH!

The sound drew their attention to the helm, where Robin caught Regina as she collapsed.

"What happened?" Emma asked.

"It's... it's like she feel asleep," Robin said.

Killian noticed Emma's eyelids flutter, and then a yawn overcame her. He barely had time to catch her when she collapsed. He ran his fingers along her neck and lips. She was still breathing, but she was fast asleep.

It wasn't natural for two people to collapse from sleep, and were they in the Enchanted Forest, Killian would've suspected something like a sleeping curse.

He turned his attention to the main deck in time to see emerald balloon that Regina had dismissed earlier. It navigated round the main sail and descended onto the main deck, and Killian saw that the basket contained people.

One of them had black hair with a shock of white: Cruella de Vil. But that wasn't possible. No one could come aboard, not without blood magic and a blood relation.

"Captain?" Robin asked. "You all right? What's happening?"

Killian tried to reply, but wooziness overcame him. Moments later, he fell into the blackness.

**Author's Note:**

> Fear not! For Her Dark Works continues with Episode #17 "[Black Cloud](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6111868/chapters/14008927)!"


End file.
